Method and apparatus for distributing firewall rules

A method of creating firewall rule data stores on a host computer executing a plurality of data end nodes for which firewall rules have to be enforced, the method comprising:

• at the host computer:
• receiving a plurality of firewall rules comprising a particular firewall rule that has to be enforced for first and second data end nodes executing on the host computer;
• and
• for each received firewall rule:
• identifying each of the plurality of data end nodes for which the received firewall rule has to be enforced;
• storing the received firewall rule in a separate firewall rule data store for each data end node identified for the firewall rule, said storing comprising storing the particular firewall rule in first and second firewall rule data stores respectively for the first and second data end nodes;
• and
• using the firewall rule data store of each data end node to process data messages associated with the data end node, said using comprising:
• providing data messages associated with the first data end node to a first firewall executing on the host computer for the first firewall to process the data messages associated with the first data end node with firewall rules, including the particular firewall rule, stored in the first firewall rule data store;
• and
• providing data messages associated with the second data end node to a second firewall executing on the host computer for the second firewall to process the data messages associated with the second data end node with firewall rules, including the particular firewall rule, stored in the second firewall rule data store.